2001 Suzuki Wagon=R= — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2001 Suzuki Wagon=R= passed 70.0% of its 6,192 recorded MOT tests. City cars of a similar age fail 28.7% of the time, so this is 1.3pp worse than the group it competes with. Failures cluster in brakes, lighting & signalling and suspension.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — brakes (15.9%) and lighting & signalling (15.5%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are rigid brake pipes, service brake performance and position lamp — rigid brake pipes alone was recorded 407 times.
Condition tracks the odometer closely. Failures run at 20.4% in the 0-30k band and 39.5% in the 150k+ band, a 19.1-point spread.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: brakes was flagged on 44.7% of tests without failing them.
The trend is improving — the fail rate fell from 30.9% in 2021 to 29.3% in 2025, as the worst-kept examples leave the fleet.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brakes | 15.9% | 985 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 15.5% | 957 |
| 3 | Suspension | 12.4% | 769 |
| 4 | Tyres | 6.8% | 418 |
| 5 | Visibility | 6.3% | 393 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 5.9% | 363 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rigid brake pipes | 407 |
| 2 | Service brake performance | 397 |
| 3 | Position lamp | 394 |
| 4 | Service brake imbalance | 384 |
| 5 | Ball joint | 361 |
| 6 | Wipers | 332 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brakes | 44.7% | 2,767 |
| 2 | Suspension | 36.4% | 2,251 |
| 3 | Tyres | 30.0% | 1,858 |
| 4 | Other defects | 28.3% | 1,751 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 19.7% | 1,221 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 14.7% | 913 |
Failure rate by mileage
Higher-mileage cars tend to fail more — often the most useful guide to real condition.
| Mileage band | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 0-30k | 250 | 20.4% |
| 30-60k | 1,681 | 26.4% |
| 60-90k | 2,437 | 29.5% |
| 90-120k | 1,305 | 34.6% |
| 120-150k | 393 | 35.9% |
| 150k+ | 81 | 39.5% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 1,757 | 30.9% |
| 2022 | 1,449 | 30.5% |
| 2023 | 1,195 | 28.6% |
| 2024 | 988 | 29.9% |
| 2025 | 803 | 29.3% |
What to check before buying a 2001 Wagon=R=
On a 2001 Wagon=R=, brakes is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 15.9% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Brakes (15.9% of tests): Pads/discs are routine wear; binding, imbalance or corroded pipes are more serious — test for pulling under braking. Typical repair: £100–£350 per axle.
- Lighting & signalling (15.5% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Suspension (12.4% of tests): Worn drop links, bushes, springs or shocks — listen for knocks over bumps and check for uneven tyre wear. Typical repair: £150–£450 per corner.
Repair costs are rough UK ballpark ranges to set expectations, not quotes — actual prices vary widely by car, parts and garage.
Frequently asked questions
How many 2001 Suzuki Wagon=R=s pass their MOT?
70.0% of the 6,192 2001 Suzuki Wagon=R= MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 30.0% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2001 Suzuki Wagon=R=?
Brakes, recorded in 15.9% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (15.5%).
Does the 2001 Wagon=R= get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 20.4% in the 0-30k band to 39.5% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 6,192 MOT tests. Dataset: DVSA MOT testing data (2021,2022,2023,2024,2025). Data last updated 2026-07-27. Figures reflect MOT-testable defects only — read the methodology for how these are calculated and what they don't measure.